Jacob Miller was whistling cheerfully as he continued to sweep the floors of the restaurant, which was in a lull after the lunch rush had passed, a local Italian restaurant in the neighboring city of Plainfield. Most people from his hometown got work there or other neighboring cities since most of Hazelwood was farmland. Today was going to be a good day, it was to be his first paycheck at his new job. It had been a rocky few years, but he was finally getting his life back together.
Janet, his boss, walked out and said, “Jacob when you’re done, come back to the office. I need to talk to you.” She was a shrewd but fair woman, and while Jacob wasn’t too fond of her, he couldn’t complain since he was getting paid. He finished cleaning up, nodded to the hostess who smiled charmingly and waved, and then walked back through a door labeled ‘employees only.’
The kitchen had been cleaned as well, and he saw one of the kitchen hands finishing up the dishes. Jacob walked the rest of the way through and stepped into the office. Janet was seated behind her desk and had her lips pursed in irritation. “Close the door,” she said sternly. Jacob felt a chill run down his spine yet complied with her.
“Is something wrong?”
“You tell me,” Janet turned the monitor to show a news article with Jacob’s mugshot front and center. Jacob felt his heart sink, he had hidden the truth of his arrest and incarceration of almost nine years. He had spent the first few months out of prison applying to whoever he could, but no one was willing to hire someone who had only just gotten out of prison. It wasn’t until he started lying that he finally started getting interviews, a blessing gained through the common nature of his name allowing him to disappear from a courtesy glance at a search engine. Indeed, the first thing that would pop up was a musician who looked nothing like him.
“I can explain.”
“No need, consider yourself fired.”
“On what grounds, I have done a phenomenal job for the past two weeks!”
“On the grounds of dishonesty, which breaks company policy, I might add. I would’ve never hired you if I knew your criminal history, and neither I nor the other employees would feel safe working with a prior convict.”
“Come on, it was over nine years ago, and I have never hurt another person,” Jacob resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He had been a drunk idiot and committed arson, and to this day he regretted it. Since he had gotten out, he hadn’t even touched alcohol. Looking at his record, he had even been let out on good behavior a year earlier than it could’ve been otherwise. He wasn’t a threat to society, he had been a teenager, just turned adult, who made a very, very stupid decision.
Janet was having none of it, “That’s a discussion we could’ve had if you had been honest from the beginning.” Jacob knew that was a lie, she would’ve never even interviewed him if he had included it on his resume. She picked an envelope up from her desk and handed it out, “Here. You’re first and final paycheck. Take it and leave.”
“Please, its my daughter’s birthday today.”
“Take it,” she said with emphasis, “And leave.”
Jacob stepped out into the parking lot and opened the paycheck. It wasn’t going to be nearly enough to get him through that’s month’s rent. He would’ve had one more paycheck that could have gotten him over the hump with tips, but now he didn’t have a clue how he was going to make the money in time. He had missed last month’s rent, but his parents had bailed him out for what they said was the last time. Jacob sighed, since it looked like by month’s end, he’d be homeless. In that case, he wasn’t going to waste this money. His daughter’s birthday was in a few hours, and he would stop by the toy store to grab her something. He took his phone out and scanned the paycheck, and his bank deposited it into his account from the app. The phone had been a gift from his parents when he had got out, to help him get back on his feet, and it had been a godsend. Without a car, he had to walk to and from work, the bank, everywhere. The phone saved him time at least on having to deposit his check.
He walked down the street towards the mall, wondering what he was going to get Allison, is ten-year-old daughter. He didn’t have visitation, but her mother, Mary, was willing to work with him and let him be there for holidays and birthday parties. The party started at five and it was supposed to be a sleepover with her friends from school. He was invited to be there for dinner and had been told Allison wanted some new doll paired with a picture to identify it with that Allison’s mother had sent him.
Mary and Jacob had never been that close, the pregnancy was an accident from a quick fling, but she had wanted to keep the child, and he had agreed to help anyway he could before his conviction. He had reached out as soon as he got out, and while she had reservations about letting a convict into their daughter’s life, she was willing to give him a chance.
Jacob walked down US Highway 40, a road that stretched from coast to coast and passed straight through the city of Plainfield before entering Indianapolis. The sun was out, and the day was already in its eighties as the summer months rolled in. Greenery was everywhere to be seen with the sweet scent of pollen, and the streets were decorated in preparation for the upcoming fourth of July. Jacob was halfway to the mall when he saw a dog on a side road being chased by a much bigger dog, both headed towards him.
The brute pounced and got hold of the small thing, a white creature with brown eyes that immediately yelped as the larger dog began shaking it back and forth. The larger dog had a leash on it, and its owner was yelling after it while it chased. Jacob didn’t even hesitate and sprinted down the side street yelling at the two dogs.
The bigger dog saw him and let go of the smaller one with a yelp before turning tail and returning to its owner. The smaller dog’s face was a bloody mess, and it limped and hid behind his leg while shaking like a leaf in the wind.
The woman who had apparently lost control of her dog got a hold of the leash and then marched angrily at Jacob. “How could you let your dog out without a leash?”
Jacob looked down at the petrified dog, which was doing its best to hide behind him, and countered, “It’s not mine. How could you let go of your dog, you have to keep a tighter hold on him.”
The woman suddenly looked apologetic, and then admitted sheepishly she would do better. Jacob found it frustrating how some people would immediately look for someone else to blame, and as she walked away, he bent over and held out a hand for the small white dog, bloodied and scared, to smell.
“Hey there buddy, are you okay?” He said soothingly, and the dog came over with a limp and licked his hand. “Good boy, I’m going to pick you up, okay.” He gently cusped the dog and lifted it up, and it didn’t resist. He looked it up and down and saw that it had a few scratches and bite marks on its body, its teeth looked broken, and then said in realization, “Girl! Who’s a good girl?” The dog licked its lips and whimpered, but its tail wagged happily.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
Jacob stepped into the veterinarian and checked the time on his phone, he could still make it on time. He walked to the front desk and said, “Excuse me, I found this dog injured out in town, and wanted to bring her in for medical treatment.”
“Oh baby, what happened?” the nurse asked the dog, though the question was clearly meant for him, and Jacob explained what had happened. Once he was done, she said, “Of course, I’ll take her into the back, and we’ll get her cleaned up and see if we can’t find out who the owners are. Just a moment, I’m going to have a few more questions.” She put a cheap leash around the dog, and it growled and pulled at it, trying to get back to Jacob.
Shortly, the woman came back and said, “I’m sorry, but could you come back, the dog seems to be in a panic since we separated it from you, and we were wondering if you would be able to help calm her down.
“Uh, yeah, sure.” Jacob was guided into a medical room, and the dog was in the corner growling with its hackles up, but as soon as it saw Jacob it yipped quietly and limped over to him.
“Could you go ahead and pick her up and put it on the table please?” Jacob listened and put the dog up, where the vet got out a needle and stuck it into the dog’s back, bunching up a bit of skin. The dog whined, but licked Jacob’s hand while she issued the shot.
The dog looked up at Jacob with watering eyes, yawned and then fell asleep. “Is she going to be okay?”
“She will, though it looks like the poor girl was being used as a bait dog.”
“I’m sorry, a what?”
“It’s something awful they do in dogfighting. They’re a dog they use to help train up other dogs’ aggression. I don’t know how you found her, but she’s lucky you did.”
“What’s going to happen to her?”
“For now, we’re going to give her some basic medical attention. We’re not going to bother with looking for the owners, they won’t come forward, and we wouldn’t return her to them if they did. We’ll have to take her to the pound, where hopefully someone will adopt her, though unfortunately with how beaten up she is and how aggressive she was being towards us, she probably won’t.”
“What happens if no one adopts her?”
“… She’ll be put asleep.”
Jacob looked at the dog, which while torn up was sleeping so peacefully. “How much does it cost to adopt?”
The pickup truck rolled up to the front of the clinic, and Jacob waved while cradling the dog in his other arm. She had all the fur shaved off the right side of her face with several stiches and had additional shaved spots around her body for more stitches, creating a patchwork and ugly looking dog. She had a cone around her head, and she panted quite happily while nestling in Jacob’s arm.
Jacob walked up to the truck, a purple Ram, and opened the passenger side where his father looked at him unamused, “Son, that is an ugly dog.”
“Her name’s Lily.”
“Pretty name for an ugly dog. You’re late for the party.”
“I know, I got caught up.”
“Caught up?”
“Yeah. I lost my job and on the way to the toy story I saw this dog being attacked and-.”
“Hold on, you lost your job!?”
“… Yeah.” Jacob’s father stared at him and shook his head while sighing. There was an awkward silence, and finally he put the vehicle in drive and took off. “Dad, I can explain.”
“Just… don’t. I’m tired of being disappointed.” Jacob didn’t have a response to that. He looked down at the torn-up dog, which licked his face. He was tired of disappointing people as well.
They pulled into the driveway and Jacob jumped out onto the gravel, scratching Lily’s belly which she didn’t seem to like or dislike either way and was perfectly content laying back in his arm. Twilight was finally setting, and Mary stepped out from behind the house, and and stormed over angrily. Jacob saw smoke coming from the backyard, and assumed they were out there grilling or had a fire set up for s’mores. Jacob’s father nodded at her, and said, “I’ll be in the house getting the cake ready.”
Mary stopped a few feet from Jacob and crossed her arms, “Where have you been? Is that a dog?”
“Sorry, I got caught up. Uh, yeah, this is Lily. She’s Allison’s birthday present.”
She gawked at him in disbelief, “You got her a dog without asking me first? And look at it, the thing looks like its about to die from fleas!” Jacob glanced down at the dog, which stared back at him and seemed to smile.
“She’s trying her best.”
Mary uncrossed her arms to rub her temples, “Listen, Jacob, I know you’re trying. You haven’t been a part of Allison’s life for the past ten years, but I need you to stop acting like the stupid high schooler you used to be, and act like a father.”
“Mary, I’m trying.”
“No, you’re not. Trying would be showing up to her birthday party on time. Trying would be getting the present I told you to get, not some random mutt. You don’t even know if Allison is allergic!”
“Is she allergic?”
“That’s besides the point!”
“Listen, it just kind of came up.”
“I don’t want to hear it.”
“Daddy,” the young girl’s voice rang out and she came running from behind the house and embraced Jacob’s leg. “You’re here! You’re here! This is the best birthday ever!”
Jacob let out a nervous laugh and bent down to hug Allison with his free arm. “Yeah, how’s the birthday kid?”
“I’m great. Is that a puppy!”
“Yeah. Her name’s Lily.”
“OMG! Is she my birthday present?”
Jacob glanced up at Mary for approval, and she shook her head and shrugged in defeat, “Um, yeah, she is.”
“She’s so adorable! What happened to her face? Can I hold her, can I hold her?”
“Yeah, be gentle.” Jacob handed the dog carefully, and Allison held it with two hands. The dog licked her on the nose, and she giggled gleefully.
“She’s got a cone on her head,” she laughed.
“Yeah… She’s… She’s a little beat up, but I think she loves you very much, and just wants to be a part of your life. She’ll try to be the best dog she can be, just for you.”
“She’s perfect, thank you daddy,” The little girl turned back and told Mary, “Mom! I’m going to go show all my friends!”
“You do that sweetheart.”
She cheered and ran to the backyard with the dog, which looked over the shoulder at Jacob and wagged her tail happily.
“Well, where’s her leash, and dog food, and everything else.”
“I… uh… couldn’t afford any of that.”
“What do you mean you couldn’t afford it?”
“I got fired today.”
Mary looked at him in frustration, “So you got a dog!?”
“It wasn’t planned, it just sort of happened.”
She sighed, “Listen I get it, you feel like you and that dog have a lot in common. You’ve struggled, and are trying to be a good father, but this isn’t it. Allison has always wanted a father, and I’m alright letting you in. But I can’t have you ruining this. Don’t make me regret letting you into her life.
“… Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize, just do better.”
Jacob sighed, that was easy to say when people didn’t just toss you to the side like used garbage the moment they learned the first thing about you. Still, he was going to get through this. He was going to be a good father. “Does dad need help in the kitchen?”
Mary shrugged, “He shouldn’t, but you can go check. Your brother, Dan, is there too. He brought his dog as well, but at least he had the common sense to ask before bringing it, and he didn’t try pawning it off onto his daughter.”
“I’ll go check up on them. I’m sorry Mary, and I promise, I’ll do better.”
Mary sighed again and walked back to the backyard. Jacob opened the front door and walked down the entranceway to where he knew the kitchen was. He stared down at the floor. That was a pig. That was a pig, with black, dull eyes just looking at him while standing there. In the kitchen. It snorted.
“What in the world?” Jacob looked around, and saw the cake on the counter, but no one else. “Dad? Dan? Where are you guys at.” He glanced down at the pig, which snorted again derisively. “Dang Dan, you gained some weight,” Jacob joked and then began walking around the counter to where the pantry was before his foot kicked something. He looked down and saw a foot.
Chills ran down his spine, and he looked around the counter, placing his back to the pantry. He put his hand over his mouth as he recognized the clothes and realized it was his dad on the floor, with one thing missing. One very important thing. Instead of a head, there was a puddle of blood and a stump. Jacob went to call out, when suddenly the pantry door swung open, and a hand wrapped around his throat and squeezed.
Beads of blood were instantly drawn from his neck as it tightened and wrung the air out of his throat, and a white-hot pain pierced his neck at multiple points. He tried to wrestle the hand off, but when he groped it, he let go in pain and looked at bloody scratch marks on his own hand where he had tried. The hand that now strangled him was wearing a cowhide glove, which was wrapped and tangled in barbed wire. Jacob’s eyes rolled back, and he went limp.
He came to a moment later, sprawled out on his chest. He started to pick himself up, but a boot slammed into his back and pinned him to the kitchen tile. Around the corner walked the pig, which snorted enthusiastically. Jacob tried to scream, but the punctures in his neck caused a wet, windy sound instead.
The pig took a step forward. Jacob tried to scream again. The pig stepped forward again and opened its mouth. Finally, Jacob managed to scream, but that was not the sound that erupted from his mouth. Instead, came the squeal of a hog. The black beast bit into his face.